Capri

July 2018

So, the family are ready to celebrate our wedding in the beautiful town of Sorrento and my Mum turns 50. What better way to spend a birthday.

I’m not normally a fan of guided tours, as I like to wander and explore things on my own. However, Don Pedro, our wedding organisers, arranged a great day out for us. Well, phantasmagorical is probably a more appropriate word for it!

We had our own private boat and private guide for the day called Marcella, who was beyond welcoming.

Capri is located just off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the gulf of Naples. Capri has two harbours, Marina Piccola and Marina Grande – which is the main port. It’s beautiful, so beautiful that it’s even a tourist destination for Italians. Obviously going in July it was hot and crowded, mainly from Naples or Sorrento day trippers – but that didn’t spoil anything.

There is actually quite a lot to do in Capri, from its churches, to its museums, to its monuments. The most popular place is the Grotta Azzurra AKA Blue Grotto, and if you have a look at photos you will see why. If you want to enter the Blue Grotto, it will cost you 14 Euros (10 euros for the rowing boat and 4 Euros for the entrance ticket). As it is a natural sea cave, depending on the weather and the sea, sometimes you will not be allowed entrance, as the conditions can get quite dangerous. It’s 60 metres long and 25 wide. Entering on a small rowboat, you have to lay back along the boat when going through the opening on the cave. So make sure you are prepared for that when you go.

Anacapri is one of two towns in Capri, Capri being the other one – there’s only 10 minutes between them both. Anacapri is more of the authentic side of the island and definitely quieter! Most visit there for peaceful walks or hikes. You will find the Blue Grotto hear and the Mount Solaro chairlift – which is a must!

So, back to our day…

The family and I got picked up from our hotel with superb timing via a coach – the guys at Don Pedro even turned up with flowers for my Mum, which started our day off swimmingly – more about swimming in a moment.

The first part of our tour was discovering the first part of the island via the private boat. We saw the likes of the Blue Grotto, the Green Grotto and the Lighthouse of Punta Carena (the second brightest in Italy ).

We then made a pit stop to eat some delicious Caprese Salad Sandwiches – tomato, basil and mozzarella, the dish of Capri. We also had a beer or two and a swim in the sea. I was pretty scared to go in, you know, because of sharks and all that. It’s safe to say that I LOVED it. I want to do it again, and keep thinking about it. The sea was fresh, incredibly salty and very, very blue.

At one point on our journey, around the first half of Capri, we passed through a rock formation called the Arch of Love. It is said that if you kiss your partner whilst going through, your love will last for ever – quite fitting for a Weddingmoon, don’t you think?

After we all finished swimming, we hopped back on our boat and sailed over to the main port of Capri, Marina Grande, where we then had our own private bus take us up the highest part of the island, where we saw phenomenal views of Monte Solara, in Anacapri.

We then reached the top of Monte Solara on the famous chairlift – I know a few of our guests who joined us for the day were a little anxious about this – but, I know from the look on everyone’s faces, everyone loved it. It’s something they’ll never forget. It was one of the most peaceful things I’ve ever experienced. The chair lift took us up to the highest peak, with the most scenic views. Quiet and calm. It was unreal.

At the top, we had some spectacular views, and a brief chill snapping away on our cameras, absorbing the moment.

If you wish to ride the chairlift, it will cost you 11 Euros up AND down, or 8 Euros up OR down. Do both I say! The station to buy tickets is in Via Caposcuro, Anacapri, near Piazza Vittoria. Don’t worry about it taking too much time out of your day, it takes around 13 minutes for a round trip – though it feels longer!

Getting the chairlift back down was just as fun as going up. We all hopped back on the private bus and headed into the main square of Capri, La Piazetta. Again, its beautiful. The views – oh my! We had some free time to get a bite to eat, some gelato, and have a mooch around the area.

When it was time to get back on our boat to sail back to Sorrento, the boat carried on going around the rest of the island, allowing us to see the White Grotto. All of the grotto’s look so inviting, and in summer, they are always busy.

Jumping back on the bus, back to Marina Grande, we boarded our boat again, drank more beer and some of the fellas had another dip in the sea for one last time – however, the water was a tad choppy, so we kept the swimming session short this time.

Our journey on the boat back towards Sorrento was as you would expect, bumpy but refreshing. There is something about that sea breeze hitting your skin in the Italian heat… It’s a dream, and it’s given me some serious Italy blues.

Our day was perfect! It was spent with great company, and we had an amazing tour guide, who has left an everlasting impression on everyone who joined us.